Summary:
Haven Hart Universe
Two universes unite to take on one formidable adversary.
A Halloween party at Joker’s Sin means an evening of fun, drinking, dancing, and entertainment. But when a dead body is found in the club’s bathroom, it’s the loose thread that starts to unravel the hard-won peace of Haven Hart.
Christopher, Black, and their friends deal with a lot of unsavory people, but more gruesome murders and bodies piling up lead to a deadly game of whodunit. This enemy may be too much for them to handle alone, so they join forces with Atlas, Ciro, and the Joker’s Sin crew to take back their town.
Will they prevail, or will this be the war that crushes them all?
Law of Retaliation is a multi-character POV story: The Haven Hart series and the Joker’s Sin series in a steamy, suspenseful, mysterious Halloween novella.
Oh how I love returning to Haven Hart!
Davidson King has created some pretty amazing stories but Haven Hart will always be my favorite. Perhaps it's simply because it was the first, perhaps it's the power the characters have at grabbing your heart, perhaps its just the right balance of snark and cuddle, soft heart and dangerous mayhem . . . whatever the reason, Haven Hart universe is brilliant! And this Halloween holiday novella is no different. Law of Retaliation grabs your attention and doesn't let go.
I won't give out any spoilers(as if you had any doubts on that) so the plot won't be touched on. We get to see all the characters we have come to know and love celebrating the spooky holiday, otherwise known as Halloween but as par for the course, nothing quite goes according to plan. The characters may get a little rattled at first but then they jump into action as only they can.
As Bette Davis says in All About Eve: "Fasten your seatbelts; it's going to be a bumpy night."
One of the things I loved about Law is being able to see the characters talk about their families and the home lives they are fighting to protect. Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! Just another day in Haven Hart, even though you know these characters interact throughout their days in various forms, the gathering at Atlas' club, Joker's Sin for Halloween has a very class reunion feel minus the occasional screams of "OMG! I can't believe they dared to show their face after all these years!"
I will confess that I haven't had a chance to read the last 2 novels in the Joker's Sin series so yes, a few of the couples journeys were unknown to me and I know I would have had a deeper connection to said characters had I read those books but I wasn't lost. The author does a fantabulous job to make sure the reader knows the couples have had a long hard fought road to reach where they are so it's easy to love and root for them all. She does that in a way that gives you insight yet no spoilers for those like me who have to go back and discover their journeys.
I know we'll be getting Fred Brennan's story down the road and I can't help but wonder who he'll find himself entangled with and if that character might have been spoken of briefly already? If it is then what a ride Fred's about to travel and if not, he'll still be facing an intriguing journey knowing the author's attraction to danger.
So once again I say; "Oh how I love returning to Haven Hart!" and I'll add: Here's to many, many, many more trips around the sun with the residents of that unlawfully, chaotic, mayhem filled city. So bring it on, Miss King, I'll be here for every single one!
RATING:
CHAPTER ONE
Atlas
Joker’s Sin was decorated perfectly for Halloween. Purple and orange lights wrapped around beams; skeletons hung from high on the ceiling. The smoke machine would send a foggy vibe through the dance floor, and Toby was sure to have little surprises to spook people all night long.
Halloween was one of Joker’s Sin’s busiest nights. It was also an evening where I doubled security, this year in particular. Christopher Manos and his entourage would be attending, and the fact that Bill and Mace would too didn’t sit well with me. They were pains in my ass.
Black was also going to be in attendance with his people, and Ciro had invited his friend Riordan and his husband, Teddy.
It felt rude not to invite Poe and his husband, Phin, since this town was built on the Hart name. Needless to say, it was going to be a busy night.
“How do I look?” Toby spun, a perfect depiction of Willy Wonka.
“Good enough to eat.” I grinned and wrapped my hands around his waist.
“No, no, no. You can’t rumple me.” He eyed me, an amused expression adorning his adorable face. “Prince?”
I glanced down at my outfit, a terrific replica of his “Purple Rain” video, and quirked a brow at Toby. “Yeah. What, is it bad?”
“Prince was five foot two. You’re way, way bigger.” He chuckled. “How did you get all your beautiful hair in that wig?”
“Don’t shun Prince.” I patted my ridiculously expensive wig, which had taken hours to get on. “I don’t give my fashion secrets away.”
“Mhmm.” Toby rolled his eyes and moved over to the bar to make sure the final details were in order before we opened.
Max was in his Danny Zuko getup. He totally pulled off the T-Bird costume. What I couldn’t figure out was how he’d convinced Ledger to dress as Kenickie Murdoch.
“You’re staring,” Shane said as he stepped up next to me.
“Mad Hatter?” I gestured to him.
“I wanted no part of what Max and Ledger were doing. I love Alice in Wonderland, and after Johnny Depp masterfully portrayed the character, I was all in.” He snorted and went about helping fill the bar.
“Line is around the block already.” Ciro’s voice came through my earpiece. He was taking charge of everyone who entered this evening.
“We’ll be opening soon, Rambo.”
Ciro laughed. “Don’t knock my costume—just be happy I dressed up at all.”
“I’m sure Xander will loooooooove it.” I knew for a fact that Xander had taken the easy route and was coming as Gordon Ramsay. A chef dressing as a chef.
“Oh, you know it.”
Ledger was testing out the sound one last time, the bar was pretty much ready, Toby winked by his spot behind his podium, and security was as tight as it was going to be. After a deep breath, I announced, “Open the doors, Ciro.”
It was time to party.
Snow
After one last tweak to my wig, I deemed myself perfectly ready for Halloween and a night of drinks and dancing at Joker’s Sin. Christopher was waiting for me—I suspected they were all waiting, but I’d worked hard to pull this look off. I winked at my reflection in the mirror, grabbed my costume baseball bat, and made my way toward my entourage.
“About frickin’ time,” Bill grumbled when I got halfway down. Of course, I stopped and narrowed my eyes at the man currently wearing a Jason costume.
“First of all, shut up. Second of all—Jason? Really? You didn’t want to go in on my themed idea, and that’s what you chose?”
“It’s classic Halloween, Snow! Harley Quinn is not Halloween materia—”
I took the last few steps and shoved my bat against Bill’s chest. “Finish that sentence, Bill. Go on, do it, and I will show you how Harley Quinn could kill Jason in fifteen ways before he even knows what’s going on.”
“Whoa!” Mace stepped between us, decked out in his Michael Myers getup. “Calm yourselves. Maybe let’s not actually get into character, yeah?”
“Says the man who sided with him.”
“Snow, my love.” Christopher’s silky voice washed over me like sex to a deprived libido. I spun and there he was, the Joker to my Harley Quinn.
“Oh, you even dyed your hair green!” I ran and leaped into his arms, not so easy these days since I wasn’t getting any younger, but he caught me…as always.
“Of course I did.”
I pressed my lips to his, careful not to smudge the makeup on our faces. There’d be time for that later.
“Where’s Simon and Rush?” Frank asked as he and Donny stepped into the foyer. Donny as Jack the Ripper and Frank as Al Capone.
“How original, Frank.” Mace rolled his eyes.
“Fuck off.” Frank walked past us all toward the garage. “I’ll get the car.”
“We’ll need more than one. Simon and Rush are meeting us there.” Mace followed after Frank.
I slid out of Christopher’s arms and sighed. “We will all have a good time tonight or I promise to murder you all in your sleep, understand?”
Grumbles, that was what I got. No respect.
“Okay, assholes. You’ll see, you’ll all see!” I shook my bat.
“Come on, babe.” Chris took my hand, and I followed him through the front door. Frank and Mace would bring the vehicles around, and then it would be time for Halloween fun.
Black
I chose to arrive at Joker’s Sin in a super-stretch limo. It was the only way to fit us all inside and keep us together. Not to mention Quill (going as Robin Hood) decided he needed a rubber bow and arrow, and I (as a Viking) wanted some sort of weapon too. Adhering to Atlas’s rules, which allowed no real instruments of carnage, we went with plastic.
“This is the most mismatched bunch of costumes.” Ginger chuckled, his Daredevil costume rather amazing. Jones went as Kingpin, which worked for Ginger’s costume, but Lee…
“Why Steve Jobs?” I asked him.
“Because he didn’t want to get dressed up and happened to own a black turtleneck and daddy jeans.” Ginger dodged Lee’s playful swat. When Lee offered no rebuttal, I realized Ginger was right.
“Here we are,” the driver said and, without waiting, I opened the door.
“Holy shit, that’s a lot of people.” Quill strapped his bow onto his back and moved to the door.
We were all special guests and therefore didn’t have to wait in line; I didn’t do lines.
“Welcome.” The man grinned and I recognized Ciro, though he was dressed up.
“Good evening, Ciro.”
“No weapons, fighting, or otherwise, gentlemen. I will toss your asses to the pavement if you do.” Ciro went through his spiel with a rather eerie smile. I understood now why he and Riordan were close friends.
“You got it.” I tipped my head and entered the club.
I really needed a drink.
Poe
“Thank you, Rush, for coming to the house before the party. Adelaide has been struggling with that piece, and Simon had mentioned you knew it quite well.”
Rush beamed…Well, one side did. He was going as Two-Face for Halloween, and the makeup was remarkable.
“Absolutely my pleasure. She’s brilliant, and she’s gonna nail it for her concert.”
“I like your costumes,” Simon (who was dressed as the Riddler) said to both me and Phin.
“Poe sort of already looks like a vampire, so it worked out well. I squirted some make-believe blood on a shirt, tore it up a little, made bite marks, and here I am. His willing victim.”
Both men chuckled.
“Shall we go?” I gestured for the door. Since we were all going to the same place, we’d offered them a ride.
“I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing night.” Rush was bouncing in his seat as Phin drove the SUV out of the driveway.
“Atlas sure knows how to throw a party; it’s without a doubt going to be a night to remember.”
One thing about this town that never seemed to go away was the dread. Phin appeared happy as he drove, but I stared out the window and tried to shake the feeling that something horrible was about to happen.
Saturday's Series Spotlight - Haven Hart
Joker's Sin(Haven Hart Spin-off)
Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.
When she's not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.
If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she'd tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you're afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.
EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com
Law of Retaliation
Haven Hart Universe
